Space-debris cleaning company raises $109M in Series F, and more SmallSat news in Precious Payload’s weekly update

Precious Payload Market Update: November 22, 2021 — November 28, 2021

This is a weekly overview of the small satellite market; you’ll learn how far NewSpace companies (and some mature ones) have come, and where they’re going. Sign up for our newsletter if you want to receive the report directly to your email every Monday.

Image of the entry hole created on Space Shuttle Endeavour’s radiator panel by the impact of unknown space debris — Author: NASA

Astroscale secures additional funding of $109M in a Series F round led by THE FUND Limited Partnership in Japan and plans to make a full-on-orbit servicing routine by 2030. (Source)

Japan plans to launch three small satellites to LEO capable of tracking hypersonic sliding warheads (HGV) and monitoring possible natural disasters by 2025. (Source)

French startup Kinéis secures approval to provide IoT services in the US and plans to deploy 25 satellites to LEO in 2023. (Source)

Isar Aerospace partners with European Space Agency and the German Space Agency to offer its Spectrum launch services for institutional payloads starting 2022. (Source)

HySpecIQ partners with York Space Systems to provide its bus and integrate payloads, making it the third major partnership after BridgeComm Inc. and Soter Technology. (Source)

OHB LuxSpace partners with Exotrail to collaborate on the next generation of multi-mission microsatellite platforms and integrate their ExoMGTM electric propulsion system onboard its Triton-X Heavy platform. (Source)

Nanoracks will deploy GP Advanced Projects 0.3U FEES2 CubeSat from the ISS with the SpaceX Commercial Resupply mission in December. (Source)

Spanish launch startup PLD Space showcases its Miura 1 reusable suborbital rocket, making its first debut in 2022, followed by Miura 5 orbital rocket in 2024. (Source)

Skyroot Aerospace successfully tests its cryogenic rocket engine, Dhawan-1, as part of the first stage of its orbital vehicle, Vikram-2. (Source)

China launches its second remote sensing and earth observation satellite, Gaofen 3, to LEO aboard Long March 4C. (Source)

Inmarsat ships out its first satellite of the Inmarsat-6 series, built by Airbus to Japan, to be launched aboard a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H-IIA rocket in December. (Source)

See Precious Payload Market Update: November 15, 2021 — November 21, 2021.